The present invention relates generally to elastic support garments for limbs of the human body, and more particularly to an improved elastic support garment suitable for therapeutic compression of a swollen limb and for lining a prosthesis.
Elastic support garments are often prescribed for therapeutically reducing swelling of limbs caused by abnormal gravitational accumulation of fluids in the lowermost regions, typically occurring in the residual limb or stump immediately after amputation. They are also used to protect the skin from abrasions due to direct contact with a prothesis or orthopedic appliance.
The garment is usually fabricated of a composite stretch yarn such as a soft filament of rayon or nylon wound about an elastomeric core. U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,635 to Smith et al., for example, discloses a full-fashion knitted stump shrinker sock for therapeutically compressing a residual limb to reduce swelling due to edema.
The sock must fit tightly and firmly over the stump for therapeutic effectiveness. Consequently, the sock can be very difficult to put on, especially by an elderly or handicapped person. According to U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,463 to Bloom, this difficulty is somewhat alleviated by providing a slide fastener lengthwise in the sock. With the fastener open, the sock can be pulled on a swollen limb and then closed tightly and firmly to compress the limb. The fastener must be carefully closed or the sliding element or interlocking teeth may catch on adjacent fabric, chafe sensitive areas of the skin or ensnare cutaneous appendages such as hair or tags. Also, when used as a liner between a residual limb and a prosthesis or orthopedic appliance, areas of the skin compressed under the slide fastener may become irritated under normal activities of the amputee.